1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
865 
to guarantee his milk, and sell it on the basis of its 
butter fat, would be a good thing for the milk producer 
as well as for the public. There is a pure-food law 
now before Congress. This aims to establish a Fed¬ 
eral standard of purity for foods. Several States 
have pure-food laws which are effective about in pro¬ 
portion to the way they are enforced. A good pure- 
food law would be of great value to farmers. 
The Farmers’ Club 
[Every queB^must be accompanied by the name and address of 
the writer to insure attention. Before asking a question please 
see whether it is not answered in our advertising columns. Ask 
only a few questions at one time. Put questions on a separate 
piece of paper.] 
SOME FRUIT QUERIES ANSWERED. 
How to Handle Persimmon Seeds. —How can I handle persim 
mon seeds so that they will grow if planted next Spring. J. b. w. 
Spickard, Mo. 
Persimmon seeds are very easily sprouted if treated 
properly. If they have become very dry, it is possible 
that germination will be slow, or perhaps, they may 
not grow at all. They should be mixed with sand, 
kept moist all Winter, and planted in Spring when 
the soil is in good condition. A depth of one or two 
inches is about right to cover the seeds. H. e. v. d. 
Sod in a Quince Orchard. —I have 80 quince trees on moist clay 
loam, covered with thick sod. We hoed around the trees, but I 
do not know what to do with the sod. Will the plow destroy the 
roots of the trees? We can put mulch around them. Shall I plow 
this Winter, or in the Spring, or not at all ? w. f. p. 
Seymour, Ind. 
The sod is a great injury to quince trees in nearly 
all cases. They need moist, rich land and clean cul¬ 
ture. I would advise the plowing of the sod at any 
time between now and early Spring, or at that time. 
Do not run the plow very deep. Then cultivate with 
some tool that will make the soil very fine, and keep 
it up as long as weeds show themselves, h. e. v. d. 
What Strawberries for Alabama ?—What varieties of straw¬ 
berries and apples will do best here ? j. w. h. 
Birmingham, Ala. 
Almost all varieties of the strawberry will succeed 
in that vicinity. A list which is likely to prove valu¬ 
able for family use there, arranged in order of ripen¬ 
ing, is about as follows : Michel, Crescent, Warfield, 
Bubach, Haverland, Parker Earle and Gandy. If it is 
desired to plant for market alone, the above list may 
be shortened by taking out Crescent, Haverland and 
Gandy. A very good variety for market in many parts 
of the South is Tennessee, which is medium in season. 
It depends very largely upon what is the purpose of 
the planter in setting apple trees, as to the varieties 
to be chosen. Many kinds that do well farther north 
are not suitable to Alabama, or in the hill country of 
the northern part. For a family orchard, the follow¬ 
ing are among the best, but only a few of each should 
be planted: Yellow Transparent, Red Astrachan, 
Red June, Oldenburg, Lowell, Wine, Jonathan, 
Grimes’s Golden, Winesap, Ben Davis, Shockley. For 
market purposes, there are very few that are likely 
to be very profitable. Among these are Yellow Trans¬ 
parent, Oldenburg, Ben Davis, and Shockley, n. k. y. d. 
The Best Fruit-Tree Bands.— What are the best bands to put 
around apple trees of mature age, to keep the Canker and other 
worms from crawling up ? j. h. b. 
Homer, N. Y. 
Numerous devices are yet extant for the protection 
of fruit and shade trees from attacks by the Canker 
worm. Molasses, pine tar, printer’s ink and cotton 
have all been used with more or less success. In addi¬ 
tion to these, there are certain patented devices, each 
of which is claimed by the manufacturer to be fully 
effective. Any bandage, to be of value, should fit 
closely to the trunk, investing all crevices of the 
bark. The purpose of the bandage is to prevent the 
wingless females from crawling up the trunk to de¬ 
posit eggs in or near the buds. Bandages were mainly 
devised and used in the days before spraying was 
practiced. In the case of very large shade trees, it is 
probable that some of these bandages would prove 
valuable if applied at the proper time, namely, in 
early Fall before the moths have emerged from the 
ground. Nothing will be gained by applying them 
after the larvaa have begun work. 
However, any discussion of the merits and demerits 
of the different bandages in use, with the controversy 
likely to result, would, it seems to me, be scarcely 
profitable in view of the fact that a more reliable 
method is now known of ridding fruit trees of this 
pest. It has been proved beyond doubt that spraying 
carefully and thoroughly with Paris-green will rid 
trees of the Canker worm. One pound of Paris-green 
and two pounds of lime in 200 gallons of water form 
the mixture commonly used. The first application 
should be made as soon as the leaves show, and as 
many thereafter as may be necessary to kill all of the 
worms. f. c. 
Apples for Western Pennsylvania.— 1. What are the best 
varieties of Winter apples to plant for fancy market in the lati¬ 
tude of Pittsburgh, Pa.? How would these varieties succeed: 
Baldwin, King and Baxter ? I want nothing but large-sized red 
apples. 2. What is the best early quince for market ? Do you 
know anything about the Van Deman quince ? Is it superior to 
Rea’s Mammoth ? j. b. l. 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 
1. If I were to plant apples for the fancy family 
market of Pittsburgh, Pa., I would try to furnish 
something that would be of high quality, whether 
handsome or not; but for street or shop sale, the fruit 
would need to be as attractive as possible. Some 
kinds have both requisites. For an early apple, Wil¬ 
liams is a good one, Fanny is a little later ; both are 
very red and handsome. Jefferis is still later, of the 
season of Maiden’s Blush, but is as good as that old 
standard in every way, and better in color and 
quality. It is one of the prettiest red striped apples 
I ever saw, and almost unequaled in quality. Follow¬ 
ing this are Gravenstein and Hubbardston. Grimes’s 
Golden and Jonathan are a little later. Both are of 
the most delicious flavor and attractive color, one is 
clear golden yellow, and the other brilliant red. They 
bring the highest price known to the fancy market, 
and are indispensable in all good family orchards. 
Tompkins King is good in quality and of high color, 
but it drops badly except in a few places well to the 
north of Pittsburgh; Baldwin never was high in 
quality, although some who have never eaten really 
choice apples may think it good. It drops badly as it 
is grown southward from New York. The markets 
are full of it, and I would not count it among fancy 
apples. Baxter I do not know. There are very few 
large red apples of high quality. Moreover, the fancy 
market does not call for a very large apple. The 
stewards of some of the best hotels in the country 
have told me that they want an apple of medium size; 
that a red one is preferable, but a rich yellow one is 
about as good. 2. Orange quince is one of the very 
best of the early kinds. Meech is good, too. Van 
Deman is too new to be well tested as yet, but is much 
like Orange and Rea in size and shape. h. e. v. d. 
AILING ANIMALS. 
ANSWERS BY DR. F. L. KI I. BORNE. 
Thoroughpin on Hock of Horse. 
My six-year-old mare has a swelling on the hock joint. A local 
horseman says that it is a thoroughpin. What is the cause and 
remedy ? The mare is a little lame. w. h. b. 
Jewett City, Conn. 
Blister the swelling with cantharides and biniodide 
of mercury ointment (cerate of cantharides ointment, 
one ounce ; biniodide of mercury, one dram ; mix). If 
the lameness persist after recovery from the blister, 
rub the whole joint with ammonia liniment (equal 
parts strong aqua ammonia and sweet oil thoroughly 
shaken together), applying it freely, and rubbing it 
well in sufficient to produce a good blister. No after- 
treatment of either blister will be necessary unless 
the crusts become very dry so as to be liable to crack. 
Then anoint daily with carbolated vaseline. 
Wind-sucking and Intestinal Worms in a Horse. 
I have a young horse which I am afraid is a wind-sucker. If 
so, is there any cure or help for him ? I saw the first symptoms 
about a year ago. He would sometimes grit his teeth, and would 
run his tongue out when driving ; at times he seems to be almost 
constantly sucking wind, but never bites on a manger or board 
of any kind. He seems to have lost his ambition, is quite dull, 
and double the amount of feed doesn’t keep him in as good con¬ 
dition as half the quantity used to do. He has been troubled 
considerably with worms, and I have doctored for them, but not 
very successfully. He also has lampas quite badly. c. s. F. 
Silver Mine, Conn. 
Wind-sucking can be prevented by buckling a strap 
tightly around the upper part of the neck. If there 
is any doubt about the horse being a true wind-sucker, 
I would advise taking him to a qualified veterinary 
surgeon to ascertain whether your diagnosis is correct. 
Nearly or quite all the symptoms you describe may be 
due to intestinal worms. For treatment see Intestinal 
Worms in a Horse, page 778, of The R. N.-Y. for No¬ 
vember 12. 
Grease Heel in a Horse. 
My horse has trouble with his ankle similar to the scratches. 
It swells a little from standing during the night. Water which 
has an offensive odor oozes out of his fetlocks. It is of long 
standing. Will you give me a remedy ? s. a. c. 
Severn, N. C. 
Thoroughly sponge off the diseased surface twice 
daily with a solution of one ounce each sulphate of 
zinc and carbolic acid in one quart of water,after which 
rub dry, and apply benzoated oxide of zinc ointment. 
Internally give a course of arsenic. Begin by giving 
one tablespoonful Fowler’s solution of arsenic in the 
feed once daily for three or four days, after which in¬ 
crease the dose to two tablespoonfuls once daily, and 
continue for three or four weeks. Repeat the course 
after an interval of a couple of weeks, if necessary. 
Keep the heels from the wet as much as possible. 
The stable especially should be clean and dry. If the 
legs become wet, rub dry on entering the stable, and 
then apply the ointment. Whenever they need wash¬ 
ing, use warm Castile soapsuds, after which rub dry 
as before. 
Cultivation for an Alabama Hillside Peach Orchard. 
II. S. 8 ., Birmingham , Ala. —What plan of cultivation is best 
adapted to growth of trees and holding the soil on a hillside with 
a clay subsoil, that has just been set to peaches? The held has 
grown cotton for the past two years, and prior to that was 
“turned out.” It is disposed to wash rather badly. Would a 
system of sidehill ditches displace terracing ? 
ANSWERED BY J. F. DUG6AR, ALABAMA EX. STATION. 
Before one can very confidently recommend a plan 
for cultivating an orchard, and for controlling sur¬ 
face water, it is important to know whether the trees 
were planted in straight lines regardless of topog¬ 
raphy, or whether each line of trees is on a level. If 
the rows of trees conform to the slope of the hillside, 
every tree on any one line being at the same altitude 
as every other tree on the same line, they run parallel 
or nearly parallel to the curving terrace lines. For 
an orchard so planted, terracing and proper cropping 
constitute fairly efficient safeguards against washing. 
For an orchard thus planted, hillside ditches cannot 
displace terraces. However, if water from still higher 
levels on the hillside flows through the orchard, this 
should be diverted by means of a hillside ditch just 
above the orchard. 
If, as is generally the case, the rows of trees are 
straight and not conformable to contour lines, the 
control of surface water on a hillside becomes a more 
difficult matter. In this case, in all cultivation, the 
course of the cultivating implement should be as 
nearly as practicable on a level, even though this 
sometimes makes diagonal cultivation necessary for 
part of a row. A thick growth kept on the ground 
for as large a portion of the year as can be safely done 
without interfering with cultivation necessary in 
Spring and early Summer, tends to decrease washing. 
For this purpose, one can use cow peas sown broad¬ 
cast in June, and in September or October, can sow 
the orchard broadcast in any Winter crop, as rye, 
wheat, or turf oats. The best Winter cover is Crimson 
clover or Hairy vetch, but both of these in H. S. S.’s 
locality require inoculation, or the sowing with the 
seed of soil from the old clover field for Crimson clover, 
and of soil from an old vetch field or from a spot in a 
garden where English peas have grown, for the most 
successful growth of vetch. 
A peck of Crimson clover seed, costing 75 cents to 
$1, is sufficient for an acre. For a thick stand of 
vetch, one bushel per acre is required; but as this 
costs about $3 per bushel, it is more expedient to sow 
a mixture of two bushels of turf oats and one peck, 
or even one-half peck, of vetch seed per acre. What¬ 
ever Winter cover crops are used to prevent leaching 
and surface washing, they should not be harvested 
but turned under in Spring. If the trees are inclined 
to make too rapid a growth—as is improbable under 
the conditions stated in the inquiry—the small grains 
would be preferable to Crimson clover and Hairy vetch. 
For poor soils, and even for fair soils, properly sup¬ 
plied with mineral fertilizers, these two legumes are 
decidedly preferable. It is now too late for any Win¬ 
ter cover crops to be sown with expectation of afford¬ 
ing sufficient benefit to pay for labor and seed. 
How to Grow Oat Hay. 
J. II. M., Buffalo, N. T. —I am anxious to learn more about oat 
hay. When should the oats be sown? How much seed to the 
acre ? At about what stage of growth should they be harvested? 
How should they be treated when harvested ? Can we expect¬ 
antly seed to Timothy and clover when growing oat hay ? Will 
the catch likely be good ? 
Ans. —We have had fair success in sowing two 
bushels of oats to the acre at the usual time for oats 
sowing. We cut when the first oats were coming into 
the dough or soft, milky state. They were cut 
with the mover, and cured much like Timothy hay— 
chiefly in the swath or cock. The green stems are 
hard to cure ; a hay tedder helps in breaking up the 
stems, though if the heads are too ripe when cut, the 
tedder will knock the grain off. The stems contain 
rather more water than Timothy, otherwise they may 
be handled about like that grass. We would not ex¬ 
pect as good a catch of grass and clover seed as where 
the oats were sown for grain. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Protecting Potatoes from Wire Worms.—T he R. N.-Y.’s ex¬ 
periments have shown that common sulphur gives best results. 
Salt is sometimes recommended, but experiments show that, in 
order to make it effective, one would have to use enough salt 
to almost ruin the potato crop. 
Handling Hen Manure.—S. S. C., Hardwick, Vt.—It is per¬ 
fectly safe to mix your hen manure with the other farm manures. 
We find this a good thing to do in cases where there is a good 
deal of cow manure or stalks in the manure pile. Hen manure 
seems to start fermentation on much the same principle that 
shavings and kindlings will start a fire in large wood and coal. 
We consider it far better to put the hen manure into the manure 
pile than to leave it exposed to the weather, or to mix wood ashes 
with it. 
